James N NDE

Experience Description

I went into a tunnel and was met by dead friends and relatives. I was taken to see a worm working controls of big cylinders, that had every animal and peoples you could think of, and they were going down the cylinders from adults to babies. There were fish also. I remember seeing all kinds of fish. As I was walking toward the worm, I heard a voice say, 'you go back and be a better man.' I felt so warm and loved I didn't want to go back.

I did not see my mom yet. I also remembered all the pain from the car wreck. Before I knew it, I was back in all the pain and my doctor was asking me if I knew where I was. My wife and her mother came in the room. They were saying that I was talking about the tunnel and the light and I saw my dead friend. That's when they told them to leave the room, and started working to revive me.

I asked for signs, afterward, to see if it was real. I got two very good signs and my wife saw them too. Today I am 56 and fighting cancer, but I am not afraid, as I know I am going back to a wonderful place.

Background Information:

Gender: Male

Date NDE Occurred: 3/23/96

NDE Elements:

At the time of your experience, was there an associated life-threatening event? Yes Accident. Surgery-related. Drug or medication overdose. While under general anesthesia 'Life threatening event, but not clinical death' I was coming out of my 2nd surgery and I went into a coma.

How do you consider the content of your experience? Entirely pleasant

Did you feel separated from your body? No I lost awareness of my body

How did your highest level of consciousness and alertness during the experience compare to your normal everyday consciousness and alertness? More consciousness and alertness than normal I was in total understanding of who I was and what I was doing there. I had no fear, no pain, and no tears, just joy and love.

At what time during the experience were you at your highest level of consciousness and alertness? I was at my highest level as soon as my old best friend touched my hand.

Were your thoughts speeded up? No

Did time seem to speed up or slow down? Everything seemed to be happening at once; or time stopped or lost all meaning There didn't seem to be any time; it just did not matter.

Were your senses more vivid than usual? No

Please compare your vision during the experience to your everyday vision that you had immediately prior to the time of the experience. My vision was the same, just more relaxed.

Please compare your hearing during the experience to your everyday hearing that you had immediately prior to the time of the experience. My hearing was the same.

Did you seem to be aware of things going on elsewhere? No

The experience included: Tunnel

Did you pass into or through a tunnel? Yes The tunnel was through the lights above me. I passed right through them and into the brick tunnel. I could see the ultra-bright light at the end and a body waving at me to come forward.

The experience included: Presence of deceased persons

Did you see any beings in your experience? I actually saw them

Did you encounter or become aware of any deceased (or alive) beings? Yes I saw John, a best friend, who killed himself many years ago. I saw my grand pa who died when I was 7and I saw a few uncles I remembered from family gatherings. I also saw my brother in law Bill, who died when I was 15.

The experience included: Unearthly light

Did you see, or feel surrounded by, a brilliant light? A light clearly of mystical or other-worldly origin

Did you see an unearthly light? Yes The light was God. There's no doubt in my mind that it was total creation and it was all around us. Every place I looked, I could see the light.

Did you seem to enter some other, unearthly world? A clearly mystical or unearthly realm To me, it was heaven, no doubt in my mind, and I was at the point of going on to heaven for good; or going back as a baby, reborn, but I was sent back into my old body to become a better man.

What emotions did you feel during the experience? I felt love, peace, and happiness. I had a big smile on my face and I felt at home.

Did you have a feeling of peace or pleasantness? Incredible peace or pleasantness

Did you have a feeling of joy? incredible joy

Did you feel a sense of harmony or unity with the universe? I felt no longer in conflict with nature

Did you suddenly seem to understand everything? No

Did scenes from your past come back to you? No

Did scenes from the future come to you? No

Did you come to a border or point of no return? I came to a barrier that I was not permitted to cross; or was sent back against my will I was told to go back and be a better man.

God, Spiritual and Religion:

What importance did you place on your religious/spiritual life prior to your experience? Not important to me

What was your religion prior to your experience? Unaffiliated- Nothing in particular- Secular unaffiliated

Have your religious practices changed since your experience? Yes It still took time for me to become a Christian but I did place myself with new friends that were Christians. When a close friend's young girl died after being hit by a car, I told him the event, and how she was in a much better place and happy which seemed to really make him happy.

What importance do you place on your religious/spiritual life after your experience? Greatly important to me

What is your religion now? Christian- Protestant

Did your experience include features consistent with your earthly beliefs? Content that was entirely not consistent with the beliefs you had at the time of your experience I never thought we went to a place like this..i really never thought of anything after death...

Did you have a change in your values and beliefs because of your experience? Yes I know there is a God and a heaven, and there is afterlife.

The experience included: Presence of unearthly beings

Did you seem to encounter a mystical being or presence, or hear an unidentifiable voice? I encountered a definite being, or a voice clearly of mystical or unearthly origin The voice told me to be a better man.

Did you see deceased or religious spirits? I actually saw them

Did you encounter or become aware of any beings who previously lived on earth who are described by name in religions (for example: Jesus, Muhammad, Buddha, etc.)? No

During your experience, did you gain information about premortal existence? Yes There is a heaven...we do go on to a better place...

During your experience, did you gain information about universal connection or oneness? No

Did you believe in the existence of God prior to your experience? God probably exists

During your experience, did you gain information about the existence of God? Yes I was told by many the light was the creator/god...and the worm was a angel giving rebirth...

Do you believe in the existence of God after your experience? God definitely exists

Concerning our Earthly lives other than Religion:

During your experience, did you gain special knowledge or information about your purpose? No

Did you believe that our earthly lives are meaningful and significant prior to your experience? Are not meaningful and significant

During your experience, did you gain information about the meaning of life? No

Did you believe in an afterlife prior to your experience? I was uncertain if an afterlife exists

Do you believe in an afterlife after your experience? An afterlife definitely exists Yes My old best friend was telling me all about Heaven being the greatest place to rest forever...

Did you fear death prior to your experience? I greatly feared death

Do you fear death after your experience? I do not fear death

Were you fearful living your life prior to your experience? Slightly fearful in living my earthly life

Were you fearful living your life after your experience? Not fearful in living my earthly life

Did you believe that our earthly lives are meaningful and significant prior to your experience? Are not meaningful and significant

Did you believe that our earthly lives are meaningful and significant after your experience? Are meaningful and significant

Did you gain information about how to live our lives? Yes I dont think I was the better man I was to be, and I think that is why I am fighting cancer now...today I am a better man, i am a christian, I eat better, and treat people much better, and have a good heart.

During your experience, did you gain information about life's difficulties, challenges and hardships? Yes I was told it was gonna be hard to come back from my injuries, and I had to become a better man with life...Many friends have told me I did become a better man after the wreck...

Were you compassionate prior to your experience? Moderately compassionate toward others

During your experience, did you gain information about love? No

Were you compassionate after your experience? Greatly compassionate toward others

What life changes occurred in your life after your experience? Large changes in my life

Have your relationships changed specifically because of your experience? Yes Yes I treat people, animals, every living object on earth with warmth compassion.

After the NDE:

Was the experience difficult to express in words? No

How accurately do you remember the experience in comparison to other life events that occurred around the time of the experience? I remember the experience more accurately than other life events that occurred around the time of the experience It was so real I have no doubt in my mind I went someplace else...

Do you have any psychic, non-ordinary or other special gifts after your experience that you did not have before the experience? No

Are there one or several parts of your experience that are especially meaningful or significant to you? Seeing my old friend, and that feeling I had which I have never had before or after, was especially meaningful.

Have you ever shared this experience with others? Yes A few days after, I talked with a doctor about it. I also told my wife and a few close friends.

Did you have any knowledge of near death experience (NDE) prior to your experience? Yes I had Knowledge from TV shows and a few stories of the tunnel and the light.

What did you believe about the reality of your experience shortly (days to weeks) after it happened? Experience was definitely real This was as real as any other event I have had in my life. I will bet my life on this.

What do you believe about the reality of your experience now? Experience was definitely real This was as real as any other event I have had in my life. I will bet my life on this.

At any time in your life, has anything ever reproduced any part of the experience? Yes Going into surgery in January, 2012, I asked for another sign and I got one. Now I have cancer and I'm fighting the good fight. If I lose the fight, I am ready to go back to heaven.

Is there anything else that you would like to add about your experience? I bet my life on the experience being real.

Are there any other questions that we could ask to help you communicate your experience? It was excellent.